Edin Dzeko eased his giant frame into the Manchester City dressing room - and immediately started winding up the men from Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old professed not to know too much about the rivalry between City and United. If that is true, the fur will really start flying when he does, because within two minutes of the start of a press conference to confirm his £27million arrival from Wolfsburg, City's newest recruit hit the rawest of United nerves.
"I decided to come here because I saw something else in Manchester City," he said. "It is a big club with big ambition and I am an ambitious player. I have also heard that most of the people from Manchester are Manchester City fans."
The issue over who is the best-supported team in Manchester has often been debated, which is when the global nature of United's fan-base tends to be brought up.
City fans will certainly revel in Dzeko's words, which will ensure the Bosnian gets a pretty warm reception on Saturday, when he is expected to be on the bench at worst for the Barclays Premier League encounter with Wolves at Eastlands.
"I don't know how the Bundesliga compares to the Premier League," said Dzeko. "I have never played in England. But I hope to do so next Saturday. I hope that will be my first game."
Dzeko was one of the major influences behind Wolfsburg's surprise title triumph in 2009 and last term, having scored twice in two Champions League meetings with Manchester United, he finished top of the German goalscoring charts.
"I was at Wolfsburg for three and a half years," he said. "It was a very beautiful time for me and I had a lot of success. I was very happy there, but I needed to change. I needed to try something new, something better. That is why I am here at Manchester City."
"I hope I am suited to being here. I need to work hard. That is the only way to have success.
"I will do my best because I want to show the people I am worth the money that Manchester City paid for me."
Source: PA
